Marie's Message Weekly news and notes from Interim Head of School Marie Dugan

WMS is growing! I am pleased to share some good news today about the opening of a new preschool classroom at WMS.

You probably know that there has been a waiting list for space in our preschool program since September. The new classroom of children ages 3 to 5 will open on January 3 in Room 5. Joyce Hutchison will return to the WMS classroom full time as the lead teacher with Sharon Entzminger as the assistant. If you would like to enroll your child (or know someone else who might be interested), please contact Theresa Conaty before December 19. Space is limited, and priority will be given to siblings of our current students. This classroom will remain open from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m.

I am working closely with board members to prepare enrollment and tuition information for the 2013-2014 school year, during which we will celebrate our 50th anniversary! I am thrilled that I will be here for this wonderful occasion!

We are making every effort to retain every child next year who is currently enrolled at WMS. Beginning next week, we will send information about our financial aid application process, which will use a program called FAST. This financial aid analysis program will receive and process all FA applications online through Independent School Management (ism). Your information will remain confidential and will be processed anonymously to allow for an unbiased analysis of your family's financial need. Top priority for assistance will be given to WMS teachers and staff and current families who have received financial aid this year, and all final decisions will be made by WMS. More to come next week.

I am looking forward to Thursday night's Holiday Cultural Pot Luck Dinner with staff and families. Bring a dish to share. We will have some special activities for the children. Join us in the Great Room for this social event, planned by the new Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO). Click for more information. I will also be at the PTO meeting at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

There is still time to make your year-end contribution to our 2012-13 Annual Fund. Envelopes can be found on the lobby table next to the pumpkin or you can make a convenient online gift. Mailings have gone out to our extended community, alumni, former families, grandparents, former staff, vendors and friends to help us reach our goal of $100,000. All money received will be used in support of this school year's operating budget, which covers everything we need to continue to provide an excellent Montessori education to your child including classroom materials, enrichment programs, professional development and other critical overhead costs. We deeply appreciate your support.

Have you ever wondered what the next program level will be like for your child at WMS? Come in and experience it!

Visit a next level classroom so you can see for yourself what lies ahead for your child. Observe a class in session where children are working and teachers are giving lessons; ask questions about your child's transition to the next program level. Along with the teachers, Head of School Marie Dugan and Liz Madden, Director of Educational Programs, will be on-hand to answer any questions you might have.

We highly recommend that all of our families attend a transition morning, particularly if your child will be moving up next year.

Please register in advance so we can plan accordingly!

Schedule:

Transition to Preschool (for current toddler families) Tuesday, January 15 at 9:30 a.m.

Transition to 5-7 program (for current preschool families)

Monday, January 14 at 9 a.m.

Transition to 7-9 program (for current 5-7 families)

Thursday, January 10 at 9 a.m.

Transition to 9-12 program (for current 7-9 families) Friday, January 11 at 9 a.m.

If you are unable to attend on your program's assigned date, please contact Theresa Conaty to schedule a time when you can visit a classroom for your child's next program level.

Giving thanks is on our mind this time of year. How often do you say "thank you" to your child? Comments like "Thank you for your smile," "Thank you for being a part of our family" or "Thank you for helping" can have a huge impact on their recipient.

If you want your child to give thanks, show him or her how. We often get so busy with our lives that we forget to appreciate those who are closest to us - the people who need to be at the top of our list.

When thinking of what to include among the gifts to your family members this holiday season, why not add a "thank you" note that they will treasure all their lives?

Alumni, past students and current sixth-graders are invited to WMS's annual Alumni Pizza Party on Friday, January 11, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Great Room. The evening provides a wonderful opportunity for alumni and past students to catch up with old friends, make new ones, and reminisce about their time at Wilmington Montessori School!

Registrations are beginning to come in, and include Brandi Gott, class of 2003, who is now a senior at Wesley College in Dover and planning to attend grad school next fall and Mattew Graesser, class of 2009, who is in 10th grade at The Tatnall School.

If you have a child who attended WMS in the past, please let them know about this event! Advance registration is required, so please ask them to submit the form below:

________________________________________

Have alumni news? Know a past student with a great story? Contact Noel Dietrich so we can feature them in a future issue of the Wednesday Weekly!

Help us keep in touch. We'd like to stay in touch with all of our alumni and former students! If you know any, please ask them to fill out this form to share their post-graduation experiences and find out how they can become involved with our 50th anniversary festivities next year.

WMS Alumni Group - Join a group of nearly 100 WMS alumni/past students and reminisce about the good old days!

News & Notes

School Store Holiday Shopping - Friday after school

Is WMS spirit wear on your child's holiday wish list? Or perhaps it's on yours?The WMS School Store will be open in the lobby this Friday after school, thanks to Valesta Tejan-Kamara, a wonderful parent volunteer! The school store accepts cash and checks written to "Wilmington Montessori School" or "WMS."

If you're interested in helping with the school store, either by selling or taking inventory of merchandise, please contact Noel Dietrich.

Rooms 6 and 15 sponsor holiday food drive - through December 19

The children of Rooms 6 and 15 are sponsoring a food drive for the Food Bank of Delaware until December 19. Collection bins are located near Room 6 and 15 and in the lobby. A list of needed items is attached to collection bins. Look for the "Donate Food Here" signs!

In January, WMS families will have the opportunity to volunteer at the Food Bank to see how their donations are used. More information will be included in next week's issue.

Join the WMS community for a Holiday Cultural Pot Luck Dinner on Thursday, December 6, 2012 (tomorrow night!) from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Great Room. Please share a dish that you serve during the holidays in your home. Parents, staff, students and siblings are all welcome! Crafts will be available for children.

Celebrate the holidays, as well as all of the families and cultures in the WMS community. Please let us know if you plan to attend by registering below:

Parents' Night Out

December 14

Wish you could have romantic dinner? Get together with other WMS parents? Go holiday shopping without the kids?

On Friday, December 14, WMS will offer a Parents' Night Out from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.! Child care will be available in a comfortable and fun setting for your children!

Kids will enjoy a pajama party, pizza for $1 per slice, a movie (with parent permission) and, of course, fun and games. If your child would like to run and play in the gym, please make sure he or she wears sneakers with the PJs!

Fees: $25 per child (up to two children) and half price for any additional children.

Child care is available for all WMS students, as well as non-WMS siblings ages 4 to 13.

Advance registration is required - this event could be canceled if there is a lack of interest.

Students in the 5-7 and 7-9 programs will join together to perform in their annual winter concert on Wednesday, December 19, at 9:30 a.m. The show will begin with a performance by the WMS Steel Drum Band, which will be followed by the 5-9 students' concert titled "The Big Chill!" All members of the WMS community are invited!

DVDs of the concert, recorded by OK Video, can be ordered for $11. Order forms are available in the lobby and must be placed in the order box by no later than Thursday, December 20.

The Rummage Sale gives thanks for all the wonderful donations from the WMS community (past and present) received thus far. Please keep 'em coming and help us reach our goal of making this our BEST sale ever!

Please drop your items off in the bins outside Room 24 or in the front lobby area. Before donating items, please review the donation requirements at www.wmsde.org/rummagesale. Please make sure your items are clean, in good condition, and do not include winter clothing, adult clothing or well-worn shoes, especially sneakers (all-weather and rain boots are OK). Thank you!

The Rummage Sale is desperately seeking jewelry, costume, etc. to add to our boutique department. Special mention: Although we are not accepting adult clothing, men's and women's vintage clothing, shoes, accessories, etc. are always welcome. Stay tuned for our upcoming vintage fashion photo shoot. Also, with advance notice, pick-up service is available for large items such as furniture, etc. Contact rummage sale chair, Nancy Sakaguchi at 302-475-4162 or nansak@yahoo.com to make arrangements or for any questions you may have in general.Remember, you can get a 2012 tax write-off if you bring in your donations before the new year! Ask for a donation receipt form at the front desk.

The sale will be held on Saturday, April 27, with a pre-sale on Thursday, April 25.

Stay tuned to the Wednesday Weekly and WMS Facebook page for updates on this event and featured treasures as the sale approaches!

The Wednesday Weekly promotes WMS news and events that are relevant to the families in our community. Please send submissions to wednesday-weekly@wmsde.org by 4:30 p.m. on the Friday prior to the issue in which you wish to include your information. Content may be edited for length and style and may be held for a future issue due to space constraints. For more information, contact Noel Dietrich.

Our Mission

Wilmington Montessori School is a collaborative learning community rooted in Montessori principles, inspiring the joyful discovery of self and a passion for learning and independent thinking. We empower children to be knowledgeable and responsible contributors to the global community.